Henry Burgoon was one among the oldest settlers of Grapevine Prairie, Dallas County, was born in Sandusky County, Ohio, a son of Charles Burgoon, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and successively a citizen of Oho, Iowa and Texas.
After contributing his share toward the settlement of the communities in which he resided, he died, in Tarrant county, this State, where he located in 1853, passing away a few years ago, at the age of seventy-eight years. Our subject's mother, nee Ann Maria Geiger, was also a native of Baltimore, Maryland.
Mr. and Mrs. Burgoon were married in their native place, and started West soon after this event, and the mother died at our subject's home in March, 1889, at the age of seventy-six years. They were the parents of twelve children, namely: Francis, Julia Ann, Eli, Joseph A., George, Caroline, Maria, Elizabeth, Margaret, Priscilla and Henry. The latter was born June 17, 1884, and was reared mainly in Linn and Scott counties, Iowa. He was one among the first settlers of Grapevine Prairie, Dallas county, having settled on the farm where he now lives, in 1853.
He located a headright of 320 acres, but being anxious to secure new settlers for the community, he sold off 120 acres of this land, and now has 100 acres, of his remaining land under cultivation, the remainder being in pasture and hay. He has comfortable buildings, beautiful hedges and good orchards. When he settled where he now lives, his nearest neighbors were from two to four miles distant, and the country was an open prairie. In October, 1883, Mr. Burgoon erected a store building on his premises, near his residence, and began a mercantile business, which he has since followed in connection with his farming. At the same time, he secured the removal of the post office from Estelle to his place in Dallas County, Texas.
In September, 1861, he married Miss Mary V. Boals, a native of Christian County, Missouri, and a daughter of John T. Boals. The parents came to Texas in 1859, settling in Tarrant County, where they now reside. Mr. and Mrs. Burgoon have had ten children, as follows: Edward M., Effie M, now the wife of W. J. Crawford; Henry T.; Mary Idelia, wife of Thomas P. Goodfellow; Oscar L., Charles E., Anna F., Jesse E., Rosser I. and Homer T. All of the children are still living, and most of them are now grown, and those who have settled in life reside near the old homestead, either in Dallas or Tarrant Counties. Mr. Burgoon is a plain, unpretentious citizen, a man of more than ordinary intelligence, of a kindly disposition, and is esteemed by his neighbors.
Memorial & Biographical History of Dallas County, Texas (1892), pp. 464-465.